


and no one can decide for us

by stunt_pilots



Category: Mars: War Logs
Genre: Alcohol Usage, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Implied M/M, Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-26 10:21:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17744093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stunt_pilots/pseuds/stunt_pilots
Summary: Roy and Tenacity find a booze stash and decide to take an advantage of not being 9-5 working class people who need to wake up sober.





	and no one can decide for us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Haaska](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haaska/gifts).



“How did you find me?”

The question had been burning at the back of Roy’s throat for a while now, but whenever he brought it up, his friend would turn mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed. Maybe  _ friend _ was too strong a word, but Tenacity didn’t seem to care what title Roy bestowed on him. Not that they even had a lot of time to talk with all the running and gunning as it was. What they were, exactly, was one of many things that would be discussed eventually, during a quiet moment.

A good opportunity had presented itself after freeing a bunch of Resistance supporters. A substantial amount of booze had also been captured by the bandits who were now too dead to have any use for it. Roy and Tenacity, however, both agreed they would need some. To treat wounds and other, less noble reasons. The bottles were heavy and they’d have to carry more useful items with them anyway and there were still some left after the misbegotten Resistance fighters had calmed their nerves enough to agree that maybe they’d gotten in over their heads and-- they couldn’t come up with any more reasons but both agreed that leaving it all here would be a shame.

“‘S what I do. I find people,” Tenacity grunted and reached for another bottle. Roy had allowed the bounty hunter to drink up, hoping it would loosen his tongue, but Tenacity might as well have been drinking water. If anything, he seemed more sober and was slurring words at his usual pace.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“No shit.”

Roy resisted banging his head on the wall behind him, or sending a little lightning in Tenacity’s way. Not enough to kill, only to make him uncomfortable. But in such small quarters, if a serious fight broke out, a knife would be more useful than whatever lightning Roy managed to conjure up before the sharp metal sliced some of his organ or other. That mutt of a dog that the bounty hunter had acquired on the way was keeping watch by the door. It might not be fast but Roy knew how it felt to get the full force of its carapace in one’s side. He turned his mind to more pleasant thoughts. Most of the uncomfortable ones had already been driven away by the copious amounts of booze he’d consumed.

“Still keeping your secrets to yourself, then?”

“As I always have. Shit, it’s like you don’t know me at all.”

Roy almost snorted. It was true, to an extent. War made it difficult to trust people. Tenacity hadn’t been his first friend who tried to kill him at least once.

With the stack of empty bottles steadily growing, the long term problems plaguing him seemed less and less relevant. New unforeseen circumstances were taking their place. Like the fact that Tenacity hadn’t revealed anything he wouldn’t have while sober. Roy wasn’t sure how long he could keep up with the game before he had to head to bed.

Where even was bed?

He looked around and found a pile of rags the bandits might have been using as a sleeping place. It smelled appropriately, of dirty bodies and sweat. Roy didn’t want to be the first one to offer to sleep next to each other for warmth. The fight and the alcohol in his system had both warmed him up, but he’d been in similar quarters before and he knew the adrenaline made them seem deceptively warm. The nights on Mars were cold.

Tenacity’s voice brought Roy back to reality. “Drifting away already?”

“Just thinking.”

“Yes, war, deaths, friends disappearing, all very sad. Cry me a river. In fact, if you do cry, try not to do it on my jacket. It’s new and tear stains are not in fashion.”

It wasn’t new. Tenacity couldn’t handle emotions.

“Not war. Other things.”

“Shit, you were that distracted when I found you. Anyone could have just,” Tenacity extended his arm and slapped Roy softly on the head, “conked you like that.  _ I _ could have done that. Dunno why I didn’t. Well, at least I made sure no one else got you while you was all vulnerable.”

“That’s not how I remember things going down. I was prepared. And I kicked your ass.”

“What? Oh, you mean the slums.” Tenacity was quiet for a moment. “I found you earlier.”

Roy looked at him sharply, hearing his own neck crack from the sudden movement. “What?”

“You were naked,” Tenacity explained. “Felt wrong to attack a naked man.”

“You saw me  _ naked? _ ” Roy almost shouted. The mutt looked at him curiously and resumed his watch. “When was that? Was it--  _ Oh crap. _ ”

He knew.

“That’s a secret spot,” Roy hissed.

“I’m a tracker.”

Roy buried his head in his hands. Mostly because he didn’t want to look at the bounty hunter but also because he could feel warmth creeping up his cheeks.

Tenacity was finally drunk enough to talk, but Roy wished he’d just shut up and go to sleep.

“Whose blood was it?” he continued in a conversational tone.

“Abundance soldiers’.”

“Looked too much to be your own. Didn’t look like you were hurt that bad.”

Roy tried to keep his voice even. “How long did you watch me for?”

“Long enough to make sure no one else attacked you while you were vulnerable.”

“… I hate you.”

“That’s not why you kept me alive, is it? Can’t have been this pretty face.”

“I’m going to sleep.”

“You sure? There’s still some drinks left, and we’re not taking any of it with us.” Tenacity paused for a moment. “Maybe some of it. The good stuff.”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

Roy stood up and searched for the most comfortable spot on the floor.

Tenacity sighed. “Might as well do that myself. No use drinking when you’re snoring nearby. It’s distracting.”

“Do you think these bandits had beds somewhere or did they sleep on the floor?”

“I think I saw some mattresses back in the other room. Might still have someone’s body lying on them, though.”

“Better than the floor.” Or the smelly blankets he’d spotted earlier.

“This way, I think.”

Roy sighed and followed his friend.


End file.
